


death had never tasted sweeter

by stilljunhui (acyria)



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Hospital, Hospitals, I'm Sorry, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Jeonglix Friendship !!!, Kinda fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Sick Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-17
Updated: 2019-05-17
Packaged: 2020-03-06 22:20:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18860269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/acyria/pseuds/stilljunhui
Summary: “Lee Minho? Like the actor?”“Yes, but don’t you think I’m more handsome?” The brunette replied with a cheeky grin, before breaking out into full-on laughter. His laugh sounded a bit like bells ringing, Jeongin mused, too bright and happy to be heard in a place like a hospital.





	death had never tasted sweeter

**Author's Note:**

> woops my hand slipped

The walls of the hospital room were distractingly white.

 

Sunlight filtered in through the one window the room had, where a flower pot sat on the windowsill, just barely capturing the rays of light. Yang Jeongin had always thought it was a sad attempt at making the place look brighter. It felt mocking even, on some days. A beautiful, living plant in a building filled with frail, sick patients. If—or rather, _when_ —he dies, still within the walls of the hospital, the flower will live on without him. 

 

He slowly slid out of his bed, bare feet making no sound at all as he padded over to the window, keeping his steps light incase he woke up the other sleeping patients in the room. There were four beds in the area, but only three patients. A few days ago, Felix was moved from their care unit into his own room. It sounded nice in theory, except all the other patients knew getting your own room wasn’t a good sign.

 

It just meant the infection had grown so severe, it had to be further contained.

 

Jeongin missed the other boy already. He was a fairly new patient, but Felix had made him feel more comfortable immediately, with his bright smile and shining eyes. The older boy didn’t look like someone who was dying, which meant that Jeongin could sometimes forget the same fact as well. The other two in the room, Changbin and Jisung, weren’t as optimistic. They’ve been in there longer. They’ve suffered longer, too.

 

It didn’t make sense for the disease to spread in Felix faster than it did for the latter two.

 

When Jeongin pointed this out the day before his friend had to leave, the older boy merely chuckled.

 

“Maybe things will work out well for Changbin and Jisung, if their bodies are fighting against it so well. Wouldn’t that be nice, Innie?”

 

“Of course,” Jeongin replied, glancing at the other two who were lying down with their eyes closed. He could tell they were only pretending to be asleep to give them some privacy. He had spent a good portion of the day close to tears ever since the news that Felix would be moved was announced. None of them liked the fact, but they all knew there was nothing that could be done as well. They had to be strong for the younger one’s sake. 

 

He looked down and continued softly, “will things work out well for you, Lix?”

 

“We’ll never know,” Felix said with a grin. “If things do, then I’ll see you again, alright?”

 

His last conversation with the other boy felt like ages ago as Jeongin stared outside the window. Even when he tried to ask the nurses for any updates on Felix, he received just sad smiles and the same excuse that they can’t share private patient information. He caught on quickly enough, but on some days, he still wished that things really would get better. Although he knew that if he wanted to see Felix again, he would have to get better as well.

 

“Jeongin?”

 

The younger boy turned around to see Jisung sat up on his bed, eyes filled with a hint of worry.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Have you slept at all since Felix left?”

 

“A little,” Jeongin managed to say, which wasn’t exactly the truth, but it certainly wasn’t a lie either. He would close his eyes and try to sleep, but every time, he would end up being woken up again by a sharp pain in his lungs. It felt like he was breathing fire on most days, but things were always so much worse at night. He didn’t want to admit it, but the pain seemed to have travelled towards his heart. 

 

The stinging pain was more obvious whenever he had to talk, but he kept his features in check.

 

“Don’t worry,” he said, managing a small smile. “I’ll be fine eventually.”

 

“Whatever you say,” Jisung replied, clearly not believing in the younger boy’s words. Still, he knew well enough than to push and prod, especially regarding recent events; Jeongin was grateful for that. He didn’t know if it was due to the fact that they were all sick, but it was pretty easy forming an unspoken bond with the other boys in the room. Nobody really needed to say anything out loud to know how the others felt.

 

Just as Jeongin made his way back to his bed, the door opened and in walked the nurse in charge.

 

“We have fruits available for snacks today,” Woojin announced with a warm smile as he pushed a cart in. He was dressed in the typical nurse’s uniform, except for the protective mask he wore over his face. Still better safe than sorry, after all. He scanned the area, momentarily pausing at Felix’s empty bed, before trying his best to keep his smile upbeat as he continued. “But if you guys want, I could always smuggle some chips from the vending machine.”

 

“No need,” Changbin slurred sleepily, having just woken up. “Might as well stay extra healthy.”

 

The nurse nodded and pushed the cart over to the other boy, who chose a few apples before finishing his selection. Jisung had been a little pickier with his choices, turning a few over in his hands and even sniffing a mango before he decided that it was ripe enough to eat. The sight did make Jeongin giggle a little, for the first time in what felt like forever, and the sound immediately made everybody else in the room relax a little.

 

“And what’s our Jeongin going to get today?” Woojin asked when he reached the younger boy, ruffling his hair for good measure.

 

“Is the offer to get chips still open?”

 

That received a chuckle from the other boys in the room, while the nurse immediately tutted and handed him a banana.

 

“If one says no, then the rest must follow.”

 

“Alright, fine,” Jeongin said, still laughing a little as he accepted the offered fruit. 

 

The older boy stayed around the room for a few more minutes, just randomly catching up with them and taking note of their orders for dinner before he left. No sooner than five minutes since the door closed did it open again, this time with one of the head doctors entering. He had a clipboard in hand and a grim look on his face, one that Jeongin wished he wasn’t familiar with, but he knew what the furrowed brows meant.

 

Bad news for one of them, usually.

 

“Yang Jeongin?” The doctor said, wasting no time as he neared the sick boy’s bed.

 

Jeongin swallowed the rest of the banana he had in his mouth and nodded, “yes?”

 

“We’re going to have to move you.”

 

While he knew that the doctor was explaining something, nothing really registered in the young boy’s head. Had he heard right? Jeongin had only just gotten to the hospital, although the sharp pain that once again arose and filled his chest would beg to differ. All at once, there was also a loud pounding in his head and a ringing in his ears that further drowned out the noise in the room as he couldn’t help but curl into a ball, desperate to shut everything out.

 

In the distance, he could almost make out Changbin’s voice in the background.

 

It almost sounded like the older boy was arguing with the doctor.

 

Jeongin didn’t know how much time had passed before he could lift his head up again. He blinked rapidly at the bright, white walls before his sights landed on the man who stood by his bed. He glanced around him. Whatever had happened left Changbin and Jisung looking visibly upset. The doctor promptly ignored his surroundings, however, and spoke up again. This time his words were too clear to miss out on.

 

“You’re moving to a private room later tonight,” he said, the wrinkles on his forehead prominent. “We’re sorry, but you’re going to be under specialized care from now on. The virus—“

 

“I don’t want to hear it,” Jeongin blurted out before he could stop himself, surprising both himself and the doctor. Who wanted to hear that they were dying, anyway? He’s heard enough the past few weeks alone that he was getting tired of it. Slightly embarrassed, he continued, “I’d rather not know how bad things are going, if that’s okay.”

 

“Alright,” the doctor complied easily, leaving the room soon after.

 

There was a palpable silence that filled the air.

 

After a few minutes, Jisung spoke up, voice uncharacteristically soft.

 

“It’s not fair,” he said. 

 

Nobody else had to say anything, but Jeongin knew that must have been what Changbin argued about with the doctor. The older boy had done the same when Felix had to be moved, after all. He complained, loudly, about how it should have been him. He’s been infected for as long as he could remember, but the process was so agonizingly slow. There was no real signs that he would be cured, so why not just get it over with?

 

Still, Jeongin also knew that deep down, they all shared the same, selfish desire to continue living.

 

He was glad, somewhat, that maybe Felix was right and the older two boys did have a shot after all.

 

That was the last thing he remembered thinking about before he fell into a deep sleep. He dreamt about sunlight and flowers, and a blonde boy with tiny hands, and laughter all around them. For the first time in a long time, pain didn’t wrack his entire body. It might have also been because of how tired he was this whole time, but sleep came quickly and nothing woke him up, not even when he was being transferred to his own room. 

 

He wished he had been awake for that, but soon realized maybe it was better that he was asleep. That way, he wouldn’t have to see the sad looks on Jisung and Changbin’s faces.

 

When Jeongin awoke, it was to new surroundings. 

 

Not entirely new, however, since the white walls remained the same. They transferred over his little plant, too, as the flower pot still sat on the windowsill. The room was smaller, fit for only one patient, but the amount of machines that filled the room was far more than there had been in his previous area. He was hooked up to a new machine this time around, too, one that seemed to measure his heart rate and breathing patterns.

 

He didn’t have to complain about the pain for the doctors to know it existed.

 

After a week or so, Yang Jeongin was getting used to his new life in his own room. 

 

It was lonelier, of course, being the only one around. He had his own nurse to take care of him, sure, but Hyunjin wasn’t always around like having a roommate around was like. Besides, the older boy doted on him a little too much. Jeongin was grateful, but he had never felt more sick and fragile in his life, and the feeling didn’t sit well with him on some days. He missed being able to joke around with Jisung or play card games with Changbin. 

 

Once, he wondered if this was how it had been like for Felix.

 

He had lost count of how long he’s been in the extensive care room, when the door opened in the middle of a rainy afternoon. Jeongin was too focused on watching the rain drops race down his window that he almost didn’t notice the new visitor until the figure was standing right by the foot of his bed. Startled, the young boy finally turned to face who he thought would be Hyunjin bringing in snacks or something.

 

Instead, he found himself staring at one of the prettiest boys he’s ever seen.

 

“Hey,” the pretty brunette said, smiling. “Yang Jeongin, right?”

 

“Who are you?” Jeongin couldn’t help but ask. His eyes took in the other boy’s features almost immediately; from the doe-like eyes and the long lashes that framed them down to the curve of the other’s lips. It was definitely their first time meeting, otherwise Jeongin would have remembered seeing someone like him around before. He wasn’t in a nurse’s uniform, either, further fuelling the young boy’s curiousity. 

 

“You can call me Minho.”  


They definitely haven’t met before, but Minho was staring at him like they were old friends.

 

“A-are you a new nurse?” Jeongin ended up asking despite being sure the answer was a no.

 

Sure enough, the other boy chuckles, “I’m not. Do you know why you’re here, Jeongin?”

 

“I’m sick,” the dark-haired boy replied immediately. His eyebrows furrowed in further confusion as he finally noticed that Minho was not only in casual clothes—a dark sweater over dark jeans—but the other boy wasn’t even wearing a mask. Everybody knew that the disease was contagious, right? Concerned, Jeongin couldn’t help but ask, “excuse me, but should you be here without the proper uniform? You might get infected as well and—“

 

“I’ll be fine,” Minho assured him with a smile. “I’m part of the hospital’s new program. A buddy system, if you could call it that. I’m your new buddy, Lee Minho.”

 

“Lee Minho? Like the actor?”

 

“Yes, but don’t you think I’m more handsome?” The brunette replied with a cheeky grin, before breaking out into full on laughter. His laugh sounded a bit like bells ringing, Jeongin mused, too bright and happy to be heard in a place like a hospital. The young boy couldn’t help but feel like there must have been some kind of mistake, but he wasn’t one to complain about a good situation. If he had a cute boy as his buddy, then sure, why not?

 

Minho took a seat by the edge of his bed, still with a smile on his face.

 

“How have you been feeling, Jeongin?”

 

Honestly?

 

He felt terrible. Yesterday was the official start of needing extra pain killers just to fall asleep properly. The fiery feeling in his lungs never really went away. On top of that, he was pretty sure the red specks of blood whenever he would cough wasn’t normal as well. All the signs pointed to negative things, really, even if Hyunjin still tried to keep things upbeat whenever the nurse would check for his vital signs. 

 

Still, Jeongin found himself shrugging.

 

“Okay, I guess,” he answered.

 

The other boy surprised him by laughing, still sounding delighted by everything. Was he some kind of sadist or something? If Jeongin wasn’t so enamoured by the sound, he would have been slightly offended, but Minho had such an innocent look in his eyes when he turned to face the older boy that the complaint didn’t quite escape his mouth. How can one’s eyes sparkle that much, anyway? Jeongin wished he could look away. 

 

“You know, if you feel terrible, you can tell me,” the brunette eventually said. “There’s no need to hide things, Jeongin.”

 

“I don’t want to sound like I’m whining,” Jeongin found himself saying, honesty laced between his words for the first time in a while. Every time anybody else would ask him about his condition, he would always downplay what he felt. He knew the test results would show that he was lying, anyway, so he’d rather let others know through words on paper instead. It felt better that way. Faced with someone he’s just met, the words left his mouth easily. 

 

“You’ll never sound like you’re whining to me,” Minho said, surprising the younger boy further.

 

Just who was he, anyway?

 

“So, what’s your favourite colour, Jeongin?”

 

They chatted for a few more minutes—mostly Minho asking mundane questions and Jeongin answering them regardless—before the other boy glanced at the wall clock and deemed that he had to go. He gave Jeongin one last bright smile before he left the room with a promise that he’ll be back. Shortly after, Hyunjin walked in with a tray of snacks. When Jeongin asked the nurse to explain more about the new hospital buddy system, Hyunjin had given him a weird look before stating that there was no such thing. 

 

“But he just left before you entered,” Jeongin argued.

 

“Who just left, Innie?”

 

“Lee Minho.”

 

“The actor?” Hyunjin asked with a short laugh, before his features morphed into one of worry. 

 

Great, Jeongin thought to himself. His nurse probably thought he was going crazy after being stuck in a room all alone. Then again, that wasn’t really impossible. He didn’t think hallucinations were part of the disease symptoms, but with the way Hyunjin was still looking at him weirdly and going over his patient clipboard with renewed interest, he might also be wrong. He was sure of what he saw and heard, though. 

 

He found himself shaking his head, “nevermind then.”

 

The next day, bright and early right after breakfast, Minho entered the room again.

 

Before the brunette could get a word in, Jeongin spoke up.

 

“I asked Hyunjin,” he started nervously. “He said there is no buddy system in place.”

 

“He just doesn’t know,” Minho said simply.

 

“Are you sure?” 

 

“Do you want me gone, Jeongin?”

 

The question caught the patient off-guard. He knew the answer was no; they’ve only just met, but yesterday had managed to be a little less lonely than previous days, which made him grateful for the other boy’s presence. Still, if Minho was visiting him illegally and without a mask to keep him from getting sick at that, then Jeongin had to draw the line there.

 

“I’m sick,” Jeongin said instead of a proper answer. “I don’t want to get you sick.”

 

“I told you, I won’t get sick,” Minho replied, rolling his eyes slightly. He resumed his spot on the edge of the bed, this time sitting somewhere near the middle instead of by the end of Jeongin’s feet. He looked positively unbothered by what he’s just heard or the fact that Jeongin practically jumped away to make space on the bed. He hummed, “anything new today?”

 

“Who are you?” 

 

“I’ve introduced myself already—“

 

The dark-haired boy shook his head, “this is weird. You show up out of nowhere, not caring that you might get infected when most of the hospital wouldn’t even dare step into this room. Something isn’t adding up here. Either you’re a crazy person who wants death or I’m the crazy one, truly hallucinating after all this time, close to death and—“

 

His words were cut off by Minho placing a finger over his lips, catching him off-guard.

 

“Not another word,” he said, pouting a little; the sight made the younger boy regret speaking up immediately, so he didn’t fight to talk again. “You’re tired, aren’t you? Sleep a little. Don’t worry, I’ll still be here when you wake up.”

 

Jeongin was about to argue that he wasn’t sleepy at all, but as his eyelids suddenly felt heavier, he found himself falling asleep regardless. That time, he dreamt of Minho, the boy’s shining eyes and infectious laugh. They were both at a field, surrounded by warm sunlight and a cool breeze. For a moment, the younger boy basked in his surroundings before realizing with a start that he hasn’t been outside in months. He was beginning to miss it. 

 

When he woke up, Minho really was still around. The brunette was sitting by the windowsill, staring at the flower pot that was still around. He looked amazed by it, if Jeongin had to describe the scene. His wide eyes were even wider, but his arms were kept firmly in place on either side of his body, almost as if he was scared to touch the plant. It was an odd and curious scene, broken only by Jeongin realizing he had fallen asleep without pain killers.

 

“How did you do that?” He asked, capturing the brunette’s attention.

 

“Do what, Jeongin?”

 

“You made me fall asleep.”

 

“I didn’t make you do anything,” Minho replied cheerfully, bounding over from the window and back towards the bed, taking a seat once more. “Your body’s been tired this whole time, you just didn’t want to admit it to yourself. I can tell by the bags under your eyes, incase you were wondering.”

 

That did make sense. His face had certainly lost more fat as the days went by, mainly because Jeongin was also beginning to rapidly lose his appetite. He ate a lot less than before and his pointed features stuck out like a sore thumb. He briefly remembered his dream and how he hasn’t even felt the sun in so long, which meant his skin must have been unbearably pale as well. 

 

“Anyway,” the brunette spoke, standing up and glancing at the wall clock once more. “I have to leave for now. I’ll be back tomorrow!”

 

“Tomorrow?” Jeongin couldn’t help but ask. “Not later?”

 

“I’m afraid I have something else to do later,” Minho replied, looking truly apologetic. “But I’ll be back for you for sure.”

 

Right before the older boy stepped towards the door, Jeongin spoke again, “why?”

 

There was a distinct pause in the brunette’s step, a slight hesitation before he turned around. He had a smile plastered on his face, but it wasn’t the same as the cheerful and cheeky grin he would usually give the younger boy. 

 

“Just here to make things easier,” he said, before turning around and walking out the door.

 

When lunch time rolled around, Jeongin was surprised to find someone other than Hyunjin enter his room. The newcomer was dressed in an intern’s uniform along with a much more secure face mask. His name tag read Bang Chan as he stood next to the hospital bed, a friendly smile in place, obviously trying his best to look less threatening. He carried no food with him.

 

“Hey, kiddo,” he said, voice warm. “How have things been for ya?”

 

“Alright,” Jeongin answered with a shrug. 

 

“I’m going to need a little more information there,” the intern said with a chuckle, bringing out a pen from his uniform pocket and clicking it open. “Hyunjin told me you haven’t been eating lately, is that correct?”

 

The younger boy nodded, unsure how else to respond.

 

“Any pain?”

 

“Everywhere.”

 

Chan stopped in the middle of writing down his notes to look at Jeongin, clearly surprised.

 

“Did you say everywhere?”

 

With that, Jeongin began to explain what he felt, since that was what was being asked of him. He spoke about the way it felt like there were thorns surrounding him, prickling his skin with his every movement. His heart hurt with every beat and his lungs burned with each breath he took. Whenever he wasn’t on extra pain killers, his head would thump wildly as well. His throat was nearly raw from all the blood he would cough up.

 

Still, he said all these with a weak smile.

 

“I know I won’t be okay,” he eventually said, unsure what made him so honest all of a sudden.

 

Chan looked like he was at a lost for words as he gnawed at his lower lip, the notes on his clipboard forgotten. He glanced around the room, at all the machinery, took note of the way Jeongin’s heart rate was far too low than it was supposed to be and shook his head, before flashing the patient another smile. It looked clearly forced, but Jeongin did appreciate the effort. 

 

“Can I ask you something?” The younger boy tried.

 

“Sure.”

 

“Do you know what happened to Felix?”

 

At the mention of the blonde boy’s name, the intern visibly looked saddened. That was all Jeongin needed to see, really, even if Chan gave the same excuse about not being able to share anything before announcing that he would return later on in the day. When Hyunjin came in shortly after with a tray of food, he gave Jeongin a worried look and said that the younger boy really had to eat something. Even just a piece of fruit would be okay.

 

“I’ll be fine,” Jeongin lied through his teeth. “Thanks, Hyunjin.”

 

He ate nothing that day before he fell asleep.

 

When the dark-haired boy woke up the next day, it was to the sound of his heart machine beeping. It was ringing in his ears loudly, but there was nothing Jeongin could do but try and open his eyes. He was breathing hard, each inhale felt like his whole chest was about to explode, but he did it anyway as he waited for someone to enter the room. The last thing he remembered before passing out again was Minho’s voice.

 

He heard Minho’s voice again when he regained consciousness.

 

“Time to wake up, Innie.”

 

“What?” Jeongin managed to get out, despite the heavy weight on his chest. He opened his eyes and took in the way sunlight was glaring into the room, making the white walls look like they were shining. It looked a little bit like heaven, with how bright everything was; even more so with the way Minho was standing by the foot of the bed, the sunlight bouncing off his brown hair and making him look more than ethereal.

 

When he smiled, everything looked brighter.

 

“You were asleep for quite a while,” the brunette noted with a small hum, walking over towards the bed. Minho motioned for Jeongin to scoot over which the younger did without question, allowed him to lie down next to the sick boy. If he weren’t so dazed, Jeongin would have complained about the contact and about how the other would get sick again. “Your nurse—Hyunjin, right? He came in with lunch while you were sleeping.”

 

“He saw you?” Jeongin asked immediately.

 

There was a short pause before Minho nodded, “he did.”

 

That meant he wasn’t hallucinating after all. Jeongin let out a breath of relief at that though, before realizing that something was off. Memories from earlier that day flooded in as he sat up in shock, hands roaming around his body as if to check if he still had it. There was very little pain in his system, he noted; the sting he so often felt whenever he had to move was gone, replaced instead by a light, tingly feeling, almost as if he was floating.

 

The dark-haired boy glanced quickly at the machines around his bed, surprised to find everything stable.

 

“Wasn’t everything beeping earlier?” Jeongin couldn’t help but ask, turning to the older boy who was still lying down beside him. “I could have sworn I was about to die.”

 

“I wasn’t here yet,” Minho answered noncommittally.

 

“There was this really loud beeping—“

 

He paused when he noticed the way the brunette was staring at him intently. With such little space in between them, it was easier to take note of just how long Minho’s lashes really were, and just how prettily they framed his starry eyes. Suddenly feeling self-conscious, Jeongin inched himself away a little bit, but was stopped by Minho’s arm snaking around his waist and holding him in place.

 

His breath hitched as he managed to ask, “w-what are you doing?”

 

“You’re really cute, Jeongin,” Minho said with a small smirk, before the smirk turned into laughing bubbling out of his lips instead. “Ah, and you blush so easily, too.”

 

“Quit making fun of me,” the younger boy whined, turning his face towards his pillow in an effort to hide. 

 

“I’m not making fun of you. Come on, look at me.”

 

Despite how he could feel his face still flushed, Jeongin followed and was met with another bright smile from Minho. A lot of things still made him confused; like who exactly the other boy was, why he didn’t seem to care at all that Jeongin was sick and dying, but most importantly, he was wondering why his heart was beating so quickly in his chest. Not just that, but the movement wasn’t hurting him like it usually did.

 

How did Minho suddenly make things better?

 

“Am I dreaming?” Jeongin asked in all seriousness.

 

He received a trill of laughter in return, “no, you’re not dreaming.”

 

“Am I already dead?” 

 

The question caught Minho off-guard; Jeongin could tell by the way the other boy’s eyes widened by a fraction. After a moment’s pause, the brunette shook his head, a small smile still on his lips. It was a smile that Jeongin couldn’t quite place. One that was just on the brink of happy and sad, secretive yet open, and the sight just made him all the more confused. Was he not dead, but still dying, then? That made a lot more sense considering he was nowhere near cured.

 

“You’re not, but can I ask a question?” Minho asked, his voice soft.

 

“Okay.”

 

“What’s something you’ve always wanted to do before you died?”

 

“I’ve never kissed anybody,” Jeongin found himself saying, feeling bold despite also feeling the way blood rushed to his cheeks. He was blushing for sure, but the words were already out in the open. He felt, quite frankly, rather foolish for saying that as an answer. There were a million other thins he wanted to do. He wasn’t exactly the lovesick kind of boy, but lying down there in front of Minho, he couldn’t really think of anything else. 

 

They had just met, but Jeongin couldn’t help the immediate attraction he felt. It felt a bit like staring at someone who couldn’t possibly be human, with his random appearances and his odd behaviour. He expected the brunette to laugh at him or at least, ask him again, but instead the other boy merely blinked a few times before smiling and leaning in closer.

 

“Wh-what—“

 

Minho chuckled, “you want a kiss, don’t you?”

 

“I didn’t mean—“ Jeongin started to say. He wanted to say something along the lines of how he didn’t mean he wanted to kiss Minho in particular, even if he knew that was a big lie, but the words died in his throat when he soon felt a pair of soft lips on his. It was slow and tentative, quite unlike how he expected it to go with how confident Minho always seemed to be, but he was grateful for it nonetheless. 

 

When they parted, Jeongin found himself out of breath.

 

“Took your breath away?” Minho asked with a teasing laugh. He laughed even louder when Jeongin merely hit his chest in retaliation. 

 

“This is unbelievable,” the younger boy whispered, mostly to himself. His face was still burning, but not in the same way his lungs had been burning for weeks before. Again, Jeongin was struck with the fact that there was no pain in his body and a cute boy on the bed next to him. A cute boy he had just kissed. Clearly, something wasn’t adding up.

 

Before he could bring it up, he was silenced by another kiss. It was less timid than the first one, with more force and movement, effectively erasing any other though in Jeongin’s head. He quite enjoyed what was happening. It felt almost like he was a normal boy, with no fatal disease. With his eyes closed, he could ignore the fact that they were on a hospital bed and pretend they were back home, in his bedroom instead. 

 

“Come with me?” Minho asked sweetly when they pulled away, taking the other boy’s hand in his and softly kissing Jeongin’s knuckles instead. “I think it’s about time I fulfilled what I said about making things easier, hm?”

 

In a daze, the other boy was still thinking about home as he asked, “where will we go?”

 

“Wherever you want,” the brunette answered, laughing.

 

It was with the sound of his laughter in the background, still like bells ringing in the distance, did Jeongin finally agree.

 

When he opened his eyes, he was definitely floating. 

 

Not just anywhere, but Jeongin was floating around the hospital room, above his bed. The loud beeping was back, accompanied by a flurry of voices. He could make out Chan’s voice as he watched the scene unfold him in a rush. Nurses were filling in the room as the beeping grew louder and more frantic, before ending with a high pitched noise. In the midst of it all, Jeongin watched his body lay still on the bed, finally in peace and free of pain.

 

Next to him, he felt Minho squeeze his hand.

 

“I’m dead, aren’t I?” He asked, despite already knowing the answer. 

 

“Yup.”

 

“And what does that make you?”

 

“Death,” Minho replied simply. 

 

“Did you take Felix, too?” Jeongin turned towards the boy next to him and away from the hospital room. He had just watched himself get wheeled out of the room. Chan was comforting a sniffling Hyunjin, who was cradling a flower pot in his hands. The thought that his plant really would live on past him occurred to him once more, but he was thankful for his nurse nonetheless.

 

The brunette shook his head, “I wasn’t assigned to him. I think Seungmin was, but I’m not sure.”

 

A pause, before he spoke again.

 

“Do you want to go find him?”

 

Jeongin immediately perked up, “I can do that?”

 

“Of course,” Minho said, laughing with ease when he noticed how well Jeongin was taking this whole death thing. The younger boy himself was surprised as well, but at the same time, not really. He always felt like he would welcome death with open arms, but he never thought he would do it literally. Along with actually kissing Death, which was taking it a bit too far, but at that point there was nothing he didn’t believe in.

 

Also, nothing really seemed to matter.

 

“Come with me?” The brunette asked softly, bringing Jeongin’s hand up and kissing his knuckles once more. “Let’s go wherever you want to go.”

 

With a light heart and a bright smile on his face, Yang Jeongin nodded. 

**Author's Note:**

> i didn't name the disease because i didn't want to focus on getting any medical intricacies right or wrong,,,   
> not sure why i decided to make my first jeongho fic angsty, but i've had this plot bunny for a while now !!!
> 
> (twt / ko-fi / cc: @stilljunhui)


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